This is my last week of vacation before I start orientation. On Monday my practice permit arrived via the mail and that is the last piece before boards. I'm studying as much as I can with my kids hanging over me. Three years seemed to go slow and, as I stated earlier, I relish every moment. I hope everyone has a great 4th.

With the summer in full swing, my Mr. Mom duties are coming to a close. Even though I say picking up, dropping off, bed making and separating Thing 1 and Thing 2 (as I lovingly call my children) from their sweating drives me nuts, I know I will miss these duties. This career change has provided me with an opportunity to spend some long quality times with my kids. It also has given me a new appreciation for what my wife does and mother did caring for children. My wife does so much and works 35 hours a week. She either is superwoman or is on the Barry Bonds steroid program. Given her head has not grown 6 sizes over the years I can safely say it is not steroids. Thanks for listening; I need to get ready for Thing 2's 7th birthday.

As I study for boards and prepare for July, I began to get fidgety and anxious hoping the days go by faster so July arrives sooner. After this weekend, I will not wish the days away. Following a round golf, I sat with two friends discussing distressing news regarding a fellow golfer. This fellow golfer was diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disease a short time ago. Now this person struggles with daily living activities and misses events enjoyed in the past. As we shook our heads in sorrow, I soon realized that I need to take a step back and hold each day precious. We all hear this sage advice from elders, political pundits and actors stomping for charities but, do any of us pay heed for more than 30 minutes? I can say I never did however, this time is different. I do not know why but I think I will.

Well I finally obtained a nursing position and will start in July. Meanwhile, I will spend my days preparing for boards. This includes a board prep class. I will not give you the name as I am not a paid spokesman. What I can say it has provided some great strategies to answer questions. Thanks for reading; time to hit the books.

Well, I passed and you cannot believe how good this feels. The work was tough and demanding. I will not miss the work but I will miss many of my classmates. Granted our age differences were significant but their energy and exuberance provided a huge energy boost. Later on this week I will burn my white uniform in a small ceremony. Next up, boards.

I am about to take my last exam for the bsn program. No more lectures, powerpoints, online modules and white uniforms. Fear of the unknown has yet to sink in as I still need a position. I just hope to survive the exam. Keep reading to see if I made it.

I came into the hospital expecting the unexpected, which is exactly what I wanted from this rotation and job.

Today I watched a patient pass away. As you may have read, this is not my first patient dying. What made this different was the patient's extreme morbid condition. In my opinion, his passing would be best given his condition. I know if it was me I would want any and all heroic measures stopped. However, the patient's family held out hope which nurses need to respect.

I consider this experience a painful honor that I will never forget.

We entered critical care as our last clinical rotation and I am absolutely loving it. I come home each day exhausted from running around and speaking to numerous specialties. On my first day, I walked into the room of my first patient and find the patient's SPO2 in the high 80s with the nasal cannula near his ears. After I adjusted the nasal cannula and grabbed the nurse. The nurse called the attending physician and I called respiratory services. Following the call to respiratory services, I returned to the patient's room and saw some improvement in his SPO2 to the low 90s. After a few minutes, I went to introduce myself to my other patient and told him I would return to complete my initial assessment later that my other patient had some immediate issues requiring my attention. Respiratory services arrived and provided a breathing treatment for the patient with diminished oxigenation. The respiratory status improved and I returned to the other patient. It was like this all day and I could not wait to get back.

I decided to stop working as an extern in the ER this month. This was a difficult decision on many fronts. On one front, I enjoyed the work, the fast pace, the varieties in cases and the staff. As a patient, student and co-worker, I was treated with professionalism and respect. I will miss everyone. I needed time to prepare for boards. As of today, I have developed a deep relationship with my NCLEX book. Speaking of which, I got to go study.

I switched my schedule at the health center to provide care to patients with HIV. I found it to be rewarding experience. The health center's patients lack health insurance which adds to the heavy burden of HIV. Every patient I cared for were so upbeat and feeling well.

I expected to see sad, sick and emaciated people. This was not the case. Almost every patient appeared strong vigorous and managing the disease extremely well. During my interviews, these patients reported only the minor headache. Wow, perhaps patients and providers in partnership managing a disease for improved quality of life. I am going back this week and cannot wait.

I switched from the home health rotation to the community health centers last week. These facilities provide numerous services ranging from immunizations to HIV-related issues to local residents.

For the last two days, the nurses from the health center asked that I triage each patient. I did not know what to expect from these patients. Working in the ER allowed me to see the best and worst of people. In many cases, I witnessed the worst. It was completely different in the health center.

Every patient greeted me with a smile and a hello. No complaints about wait time and when would they see the doctor. It appeared to this novice that patients understood how the health center functioned.

This community rotation has really been a pleasant surprise. Later this week I will work with the HIV-positive patients and forward those observations soon.

Well I completed two weeks of community care and know that this is not the area for me. I missed the camaraderie that I feel in the hospital. Every patient thanked my partner and I repeatedly, not the same reception received in the ER. Illnesses and injuries ranged from stroke to wound care resulting from trauma.

Education and teaching served as our main goal in caring for these patients. These patient's medication lists resembled the PDR or a CVS. My partner and I spent at least 20 minutes looking up all the medications making sure that critical interactions were not a possibility. Luckily for us and the patient we did not find a single one.

I may not want to  become a visiting nurse but, I really felt good at the end of the day because every patient gave us a smile and handshake.

People ask me how I will close my blog as my time as a student comes to a conclusion. It is a difficult question to answer as this semester will include job search, board prepartion and school work. As I look at those items, I find the position search very intriguing. What skill sets from other jobs or industries will translate? Will perspective employers see my past experience as an asset or liability?

I sent my resume out we will have to see where it leads.

I cannot wait to start this next semester. The initial stage of my nursing education will come to a close and I will enter the nursing world. In order not to look ahead, I began to review my past HESI results to see where I may fall short on the board exam. My advisor said that I need to complete at least 500 NCLEX questions over.

I decided that I would start this process after new years. After all I spent the last 3 weeks immersed in my books and note cards. I needed to rest, relax and find out what my family has been up to for these past few weeks. To my surprise, I found out they spent a weekend in Boston. That would explain why I slept past 8am on a Saturday and Sunday.

I finished finals and immediately began to pray. Usually, my average would allow me to breath easier; not this semester. I was passing my classes by a slim margin. I could not afford any slip ups. So I spent the last couple weeks becoming very intimate with my books and note cards.

It felt like I slept about 6 hours over the week before the exams. I consumed enough Starbucks coffee that the company exceeded 4th quarter earnings by 30 cents a share.

Well, we received our grades and I survived academically and physically. Thanks for reading.